Reviews of our Clients

"Great Job "

New

We spent a week in Gautemala, the last three days in Lake Atitlan. We had booked three different excursions with Pedro, including a transfer from Antigua to Lake Atitlan, but I had given hime the wrong dates... off by a week. Amazingly, despite my screw up, Pedro was able to make it work. Within twenty minutes he had someone at our hotel in Antigua and met us halfway to the lake to begin our tour. Since he already had commitments the following day he left us in the hands of one of his colleagues, Humberto, who did a great job as we went to ChiChi, kayaked, did some very light hiking, and explored the villages around the lake.

I do feel that Pedro charges a premium for his services but in my experience you get what you pay for. I doubt you could find a better company to intrust your vacation time with and I would use them again... I would just make sure I gave them the right dates next time.

Nathan H

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

"Spanish and Adventure, Lago de Atitlan to the Ixil Triangle"

New

I started off taking Spanish lessons with Pedro of Atitlan Tours & extended it to cycling through the villages above Lake Atitlan, visiting the lakeside villages, taking a fabulous 2 day trip to the Ixil Triangle, staying at a hacienda & cheese farm & horse-riding in the surrounding hills. Being the only tourist at the local market, and seeing the beautiful traditional clothing and textiles of the villagers was a highlight. Pedro's attention to detail & knowledge of the local area was outstanding and he was great company and an excellent Spanish teacher as well! If you want an adventurous, customised, off-the-beaten-track tour then I would highly recommend contacting Pedro.

King Prue

Traveling with us since 2011

Sydney, Australia

"Fabulous!"

New

Since my wife broke her foot a couple of weeks before we left for a tour of Guatemala, we decided to make our trip more comfortable by taking private transport and a private guide for the first part of our journey. We found Pedro through Tripadvisor and believe me, we were so lucky we found him!

Pedro is a real gentleman, really taking care of his guests, and also very knowledgeable about many subjects, in the first place about breathtaking Lake Atitlan, but also about Maya culture and people, traditional Maya textiles, about the markets, about birdwatching, photography. He's teaching Spanish, learning French (his English is quite perfect)... A passionate young man, always trying to get even better. And especially passionate about trying to give you the best of what his beautiful country has to offer. This was even made clearer the day we were accompanied by another guide : also sympathetic, but what a difference! The difference between "oh well ok" and "woooooow".

Not only we had a wonderful week with him, full of jawdropping beauty, but his perfect planning also made it possible for us to experience much more than we could ever have if we would have organised everything ourselves. We visited the markets of Solola and Chichicastenango with him, and I can't imagine it would have been half as absorbing if we would have tried to find our way on our own.

And he helped us to reach the unreachable. We really were fascinated by the Ixil-triangle and the villages Nebaj, Cotzal en Chajul, northeast of Quetzaltenango, and I had spent hours trying to figure out how to include them in our itinerary, but I had to conclude we wouldn't have time to go there. Pedro not only succeeded fitting them in, but we had such wonderful and stressless two days visiting partying Solola, Fuentes Georginas, sleeping in a wonderful Hacienda near Acul, the traditional market of Chajul... Never in a hurry, always time to meet our needs or to do what seemed best at that time. I can't recommend enough the trip to Ixil with Pedro. Fantastic!

Concluding : at first sight it's not cheap for a couple to have your own driver and guide taking you around. But with Pedro it's worth every penny. Especially when you consider what you would have missed otherwise having only a couple of weeks to spend. It allows you to see much more, without stress and in a leisurely pace, and to enjoy the beauty of this really special country much more in depth. So it becomes a truly memorable experience. And what 's more : when you are 4 or more the price per person goes down dramatically, so I wouldn't hesitate to call it downright cheap!

My advice : don't miss Atitlan-Ixil Pedro style!

Erwin de Van , Belgium

“Pedro is the best tour guide I've ever had”

New

I travel a lot - and I love to travel and feel like I'm truly learning about a new place. Pedro made this possible for me when I visited Lake Atitlan for 5 nights recently. What started out as a spanish lesson quickly morphed into something totally beyond this. Don't get me wrong - Pedro is a great spanish teacher, but he seems to be great at so many things. He loves nature and his country. He is passionate about Guatemala and helping people like me and you understand Guatemala in a way that would impossible otherwise. So, we took our spanish lessons on the road to a wonderful market in Solala, to a very interesting tour of a coffee plantation and artist studios in San Juan - he took us kayaking on the lake and went w/ us on a nature walk pointing out animals and plants along the way. Every day was new and interesting and he basically made our trip a success. Pedro has great ideas and the ability to make things all come together. He is a planner, teacher, naturalist and tour guide all rolled into one very charming and intelligent person. I'm just so impressed with him and you should let him help make your trip as special as mine was.

Jennifer, Washington, DC

"Pedro is a great tour guide and Spanish teacher "

I have known Pedro for several years now. I take Spanish lessons from him by Skype every morning that we are both free at 7:30 AM. It has been great, I now can conduct conversations with the natives and it is great fun. He also has taken two of our groups on tours of lake Atitlan and the local villiages. In March our group of about 14 went on a tour of the Lake Atitlan with him and, although I did not go with them (my ninth trip to the lake), I heard many good comments about the tour. The group liked very much the tour of natural dye weaving and other sites around the lake. They thought Pedro was an outstanding tour guide. If you are coming to Atitlan then you should contact Pedro about the wide range of activities he can arrange for you. James Greenleaf

Rochester, Minnesota Apr 4, 2

“One of the best tour guides in Lake Atitlan Region”

We did two tours with Pedro as part of a yoga retreat in Guatemala. Pedro is an amazing guide. He knows the area very well, takes you off the beaten path and deeply immerses you in Guatemalan culture. Highly recommend!Shira.

San Francisco, CA Mar 9, 2011

“Pedro is amazing!”

Touring the lake Atitlan region with Pedro was one of the highlights of our trip! Pedro is so knowledgeable, genuine, and fun. We had such a wonderful time seeing this beautiful country through his eyes. I would recommend Pedro to anyone going to Guatemala and will definitely contact him if I ever go back! Holly Greenfield

Brooklyn, New York Feb 7, 2011

“Pedro is the best!”

I just led a yoga retreat at Villa Sumaya on Lake Atitlan and hired Pedro to take our group on two tours - one day at Santiago (a village on the lake) and one day hiking up El Pico de Cielo (near Solola, another village on the lake). Being with Pedro was one of the highlights of our trip. We would not have had the same experience without him. His English is perfect, his tours are wonderfully organized (efficient and safe), and he is extremely knowledgeable about his country's history, culture, and natural environment. He has created relationships with many of the village residents and took us through private farms and homes - not your typical tourist path. Not only does he seriously know his stuff but he is so much fun to be around - great sense of humor and just a genuinely kind person. I will definitely contact him to arrange plans for my next trip to Guatemala and very highly recommend you do the same! Marisa Bonfanti

Brooklyn, New York Feb 7, 2011

“Fantastic guide”

We recently spent 2 days with Pedro. He was a fantastic guide and showed us things we would never had found on our own. We made all of the arrangements from the US via email, wired him a deposit, and he showed up and wowed us with his knowledge of the area, culture, and nature. If you want a great experience at the Lake, Pedro is your man!

Chicago, Illinois Jan 25, 2011

“Fun day with outstanding guide”

My husband and I recently took a trip to Lake Atitlan and spent a day with Pedro Juan Solis of Tours Atitlan hiking Volcan San Pedro. Pedro was friendly, knowledgeable about the plants and birds in the area, and very courteous and polite. It was worth doing the hike with Pedro and not just using the park guide that is required to go with all groups, as our park guide did not speak any English and was very much disinterested in doing the hike, so had we not had wonderful Pedro with us we would not have gotten nearly as much information and enjoyment from the hike. Definitely go with Pedro from Tours Atitlan- Adventure Center for your hike up San Pedro!

Boston, Massachusetts Jan 19, 2011

“Guatemala is the perfect combination of adventure, culture and nature!”

We just got back from a fantastic trip in Guatemala- the highlight was hiking, biking and kayaking in/around Lake Atitlan with Pedro Solis as our guide. He was the best guide we've ever had, so knowledgeable and friendly, and professional. He really listened to us and responded to our needs, when we wanted more "challenge" he upped the pace, when we wanted "adventure" he took us off the beaten track, when we were content to lolly-gag, he slowed down and taught us about the traditions, culture and nature of the area (he is an avid bird-watcher too). What we really appreciated about him was his work ethic and sense of responsibility to others, including us, his community, and the environment. We had so much fun we want to go back and explore more! We've traveled a lot around the world, but we were so impressed by how much Guatemala has to offer and how genuinely friendly the people were. I will definitely use Tours Atitlan to organize/guide my next trip! Robin Mason

Washington DC, District of Columbia - Jan 7, 2011

“Pedro loves Birding”

Pedro is a very knowledgable and articulate guide. He knows the local birds well and has an excellent eye for quickly seeing the details which identify a bird. He is very easy to be with. He shares a genuine love and excitement for birding.

New Harris, California - Jan 6, 2011

“A fantastic guide and hike”

Pedro is a fantastic tour guide and his hike was the highlight of my time by Lake Atitilan. His English is perfect, he is very knowledgeable and I have already sent three of my friends on his hike- they loved it too.

Melbourne - Jan 3, 201

“Great tour! Kind and Knowledgeable tour guide!”

Pedro took about 15 of us on an enjoyable cultural tour of several traditional Mayan villages around the lake. He was effecient, knowledgeable and all enjoyed his company. Highly recommended!

One Love, Robert Roskind

“Great birdwatching”

We had a wonderful time birdwatching with Pedro Solis. We went all around the village of Santa Cruz and saw about 30 different species. Pedro knows where the birds are and identifies them well. He is also a great source of information about the village and about Guatemala in general. He speaks excellent English and has a warm and enhusiastic personality.

Michigan - Dec 16, 201

“ Amazing tour!!!”

Pedro is a wonderful guide. He does his best to tailor a tour that fits your interest and makes sure not to miss a single opportunity to tell you about the people, the place, the food, and the sights you experience along the way. He was extremely personable and really became more of a friend than a guide. Anything you want to do, Pedro can organize it for you.

Thank you Pedro!

Chicago, Illinois Dec 5, 2010

“ A wonderful Sunsetwalk!”

We walked with Pedro Juan Solis from Sunta Cruz up the mountain to see a beautiful Sunset. It was fantastic and Pedro is really a good guide, who explained us during the walk several fruits and plants and the live in village. We can highly recommend him and his Tours.

Zuerich, Nov 27, 2010

“ Hiking the lower Mayan Trail”

We just returned from Lake Atitlan. Pedro was our guide on this wonderful hike. There had been a tremendous amount of rain, therefore the trail was very muddy & the streams were more like small rivers making this hike much more difficult. Pedro not only led us very safely but told us many stories about the area. My husband wanted to practice his Spanish & Pedro very easily switched from Spanish to English as needed. He also speaks French. You can't go wrong using his services for any activity around the lake especially hiking.

Ormond Beach, FloridaSep 6, 201

“Hiking the Volcano: San Pedro: Lake Atitlan”

Hiking the Volcano is a must on your visit to Lake Atitlan. Our guide, Pedro Solis, was absolutely amazing! He is an enthusiastic guide.
Safety for the group was paramount and his language skills and knowledge of Guatemala is impressive. We had a remarkable day thanks to Pedro!

Boston, Massachusetts

“Great experience with Pedro and his school!”

I was recently in Panajachel, Guatemala. I took two days of Spanish lessons with Pedro, who did more than improve my Spanish! He makes sure that you get to know the culture and the people as well as the language. We went to the nearby Nature Preserve and then to a village overlooking Lake Atitlan. All along the way, we worked on my Spanish and enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. I have been to Panajachel a number of times, yet Pedro showed me things that I had not seen before. Pedro is a great teacher and person to be with. He works hard to make the most of your time with him. I would heartily recommend Pedro and his school for anyone wanting to learn not only Spanish but more of the remarkable people and places where it is spoken.

Randall BogsAsheville, North Carolina, USA

“Exciting tour with interessting informations about the area and the nature"

After my first tour with Pedro from Santa Cruz to San Marcos i decided to make a second tour the day after because it was a unique experience with him. He knows so much about the area, the flowers, the animals... and he improved my spanish as well! Unforgetable was the breakfast at the top of the mountain!

Rheine

“Pedro took care of everything, and we had a wonderful vacation!”

I am just returning from a week at Lake Atitlan very grateful for having found Pedro Juan Solis over the internet and for having trusted him to organize our vacation. I went with 2 kids--ages 7 and 9--who are in a bilingual elementary school. We all studied spanish with teachers from Pedro's spanish school in the afternoons for about 3.5 hours/day. Obviously, as I was in a class of my own, I could not really observe my kids' classes, but my teacher was excellent. She listened to me when I told her what I most wanted to learn and she organized my classes accordingly. I believe my spanish improved 100% (although I was starting from a very low level).

In the mornings, Pedro organized outings for us, and it was wonderful seeing the sights with someone who knows the area so well. We jumped of a boulder into the lake at a spt we would never have found on our own; we went on birdwatching hikes that we customized for kids, so they were not nearly as slow, but we still saw 15 different species of birds in 2 hours time; we kayaked early in the morning for about 90 minutes to a restaurant with the most beautiful view imaginable (more than 350 steps up a bluff) and with great food, to boot. We visited towns and pedro explained a lot about the Mayan culture as we walked along. He used spanish and english, so we really got a second spanish lesson, as well. He taught the kids spanish songs as we kayaked. The kids loved him! I highly recommend working with Pedro to anyone planning a visit to lake Atitlan!

Brennan Van
Washington D.C., District of Columbia

“Lago de Atitlan is one of the most beautiful places on the Planet”

Aldous Huxley made that pronouncement but I concur. Having Pedro Solis of Adventure Atitlan as your guide is guaranteed to maximize your enjoyment of this magical place. From arranging transportation to Atitlan, lodging on the lake, to hiking or boating, swimming in hot springs, going to local markets- Pedro takes care of it. He is trustworthy and honest, fluent in English, Spanish and the local languages spoken around the lake. Relax and take in the experiences- Adventure Atitlan will handle the logistics and details...

Zellmake
Gloucester, Massachusetts

“Great guide/translator”

Pedro, the owner of Adventure Atitlan, is an amazing, friendly, professional tranlator and guide. He speaks the local language, which was great help to me for my documentary film on shamanism. Highly recomended!!!

Kristopher, Toronto

“Tour and Spanish lessons/Pedro Juan Solis”

My wife and I visited Lake Atitlan in Nov/Dec 2009 and each day we had Spanish lessons and tours arranged by Pedro. My wife felt that her Spanish teacher was the best she has had. I had my Spanish lesson with Pedro, and found him very knowledgeable and accommodating for whatever focus I desired. Each afternoon he arranged tours which were all excellent. He is from that area, knows the people and traditions and has plenty of excellent advice. If we return we would be sure to make contact with Pedro once again.

About the Owner

My name is Pedro Juan Solis. I was born in Sacapulas, El Quiché, in the western highlands of Guatemala. I am a Mayan descendent in origin. I speak Spanish, Kaqchikel (one of the 22 Mayan languages), English and I am learning my fourth language, which is French. I come from a beatiful authentic Mayan family. My famiy is a mixte of three different Mayan Cultures, Mam, Sacapulteco and Kaqchikel. I am the Read More

Tours in Guatemala

Estimating Tailor-made Trip Costs

Tour costs will vary depending upon the type of transportation used, extra services and inclusions, meals, length of program, etc. As a general rule, in Lake Atitlan tour prices will vary between $100 to $200 per couples per Tour (including private land transfers, private guiding and tours).